59 White-winged Crossbill

• A group of Crossbills are called a; Crookedness / Wrap.
• These are big eaters, they can consume up to 3,000 conifer seeds in one day.  They have a special pouch in their throat, kind of a flying chipmunk. 
• This one was at our feeder, unlike its cousin the Red Crossbill it has a bigger bill and two distinct white bars on its wings.  Otherwise they share the same coloring, Pink males, Olive color females.
• These birds will nest year round depending on the abundance of feed.
• They have a very distinct fight pattern, lunging, wings coming right to sides.
• They molt in the fall and have unpigmented barbules in their feathers that wear away come spring leaving them a bright pink.  All about attracting that female for breeding season.